


One Thousand Years

by blackoblivion13



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, I have no idea what I'm doing here, Immortal!Eren, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, but it seems like fun, too much angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2014-04-02
Packaged: 2018-01-17 22:12:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1404367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackoblivion13/pseuds/blackoblivion13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I was listening to Christina Perri's A Thousand Years (which I have recently discovered was from Twilight, lol, I never realized) and I just felt that this could work with Eren and Levi. Or just anyone and Eren, really. But I'm a fan. So, it was Levi. <3</p><p>Anyway... on to the summary:<br/>Eren saw it all. The death of the last titan and the destruction of the wall, the freedom of humanity. He also saw the death of humanity's strongest and the discrimination against the remaining titan-shifters. One thousand years finds him with no more will to live, but no desire to die. And then he meets Levi Asselin... and he's so similar to the Levi that he watched die before he could tell him all the things he needed to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Thousand Years

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry. This will probably continue, because I like the idea... but I dunno. I'm not so good at "canon" characters, but... the characters in the story are "different" so I guess it doesn't matter? They can't be the same... wouldn't make sense. But I'll try and keep them to the basic "character" style or whatever? Not sure how to say that. Anyway... I... Hope you enjoy my bad (first) attempt at (non-OC) fan-fiction.
> 
> I also don't own SnK or anything relating to it. I just like it a lot.
> 
> And one more thing... I'm so sorry about all the fragments. It just fit Eren's thoughts too well.

The last time I looked into those slate colored eyes was nearly one thousand years ago…One thousand years where I was too strong to kill myself, but not strong enough to live. I’d given up hope… I don’t even remember what it felt like any more, that determination that helped us win the war against titans so long ago.

I’d lost it. I lost it the day I lost him. My leader, my focus, my master, my reaper. He’d died. Died in the line of duty. To save me. To save the life of his subordinate.

You can’t blame me for staring. For feeling this tug, this incessant need. Staring into those eyes, I feel life returning to me. Nothing more, nothing less. Feelings flood me, and I barely am aware of the tears streaking down my face.

“Levi…” I breath, barely resisting sinking to my knees. But suddenly, fear. So much fear. Why is he here? I watched him die. I can’t watch him die again. What sick trick is this?

“Who are you?”

My fear coils with the pain caused by the lack of recognition in his eyes. He looks exactly the same… as do I… My titan powers kept me at the peak of adulthood… the others too, though I do not know where they went.

And yet, he does not know me… also, there is something different about him. He seems… happy? More pain lurches up into my chest. Petra. She’s there too. Holding his hand. Why are they holding hands?

No, I should be happy! It’s Petra! She’s alive… she’s okay. She’s happy. I can see that. One thousand years don’t go by without gracing one with some knowledge.

“N—no… you just… sorry, you look like someone I knew.”

“Tch, talking like an adult. You’re obviously just a brat.” The man with Levi’s face said, his face set in such a familiar way.

“Levi, don’t be rude. I’m sorry for my boyfriend’s poor attitude.” Petra giggles, play slapping his shoulder.

But I can’t get over it. ‘Brat’… no one has called me that… in such a long time. They seem to notice my tears and Petra’s eyes widen in alarm.

“Oh, I—I’m sorry, are you alright?”

“N—no… it’s just… he’s… really similar… to… my…” I bit my lip, unable to say anything more. Petra, as always, seems to understand. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your date.”

“No…” Levi said, quickly, almost as if he’s feeling guilty. “Why don’t you come with us for coffee? We’re meeting a few other friends.”

It’s an offer of friendship. But I don’t want friendship. I’ve never wanted friendship from him. I wanted more…

“Oh?” I said, trying to force my voice to come out even, willing the tears to stop. “Sure, I’d love to. My name’s Eren… Eren Jeager.”

I offer my hand, trying to keep from trembling. My eyes land on the slightly scarred skin where I used to bite to transform—too many bites to heal it, so it just scarred—and I flick my eyes away from the memory nervously. It’s still there, the titan rage, worming around in my stomach like a parasite. But I’d been so shut down, merely going through the motions until now that it didn’t even occur to me, that it could be anything dangerous.

Levi notices it too, but doesn’t do anything about it. He does give my hand an overall disgusted look like it’s the filthiest thing in the world. I smile. I can’t help it. Such a familiar reaction. It’s something that I should have expected.

They give me a surprised look and Petra nudges him to accept the hand—he does. They felt softer than I remember, not as callused from using 3D maneuvering gear, and gave it a brief shake.

“Levi,” he said, “Levi Asselin.”

He dropped my hand and I offered it to Petra.

“Petra… Petra Ral,” She smiles politely, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Eren.”

The warmth of the greeting can’t stop the pain in my stomach, but I hid it. I’m good at that. Unlike when I met them the first time, I was good at hiding things now. When I first met them, I didn’t care to hide my feelings. I didn’t even try.

“You too,” I gave a laugh in reply, hiding my pain. In this time, will I be able to make up the horrors I caused? Will I be able to atone for her death? For Levi’s?

“Let’s go, we’re going to be late,” Levi said, hastily. Petra giggled and kissed his cheek. His pale skin flushed ever so-slightly, and I wondered about how long they’d known each other in this world for Petra to be able to so freely touch him when he was obviously still the OCD clean-freak he’s always been.

I also can’t help the biting of jealousy. That used to be my place. Maybe not in public… hell, it was barely my place in private… but… it was there. When he treated me like I was more than the monster everyone claimed I was… more than a brat that he kicked around… more than a soldier in the Survey Corp waiting for his turn to be fodder for a hopeless mission.

When he’d kissed me and soothed my fears away.

I followed after him, striking up a casual conversation with them, ignoring the whirling mess of emotion that my stomach had become.

“So, do you go to school, Eren?” Petra asked all smiles and softness. She could see it. The misery in my eyes. I know she can, because Petra was too kind for her own good. Levi too, probably sensed it. Because you don’t fight the extinction of human kind with someone and just forget that no matter how many times you die.

“Ah… I’m planning to enroll in Troust University for this coming year.” I replied, after a split second worth of decision making. It was a lie. I hadn’t been planning to do anything. After I’d realized I wasn’t aging… I’d stopped existing. It wasn’t that it would be hard to slip into the system, but I’d never felt the need. Anything I wanted died that day. But here it was all those desires that had been trapped inside that wall. Everything.

“I see,” she said, “That’s the school Levi teaches at. Though he mostly only teaches self-defense classes, he also has some English ones.”

Levi grumbles out something to the effect of ‘stop spouting off things that aren’t his business’ but otherwise doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that I’m a stranger to him. No, he must sense it. They know I’m not a stranger. We have a bond more intimate than that. All of us. But especially Levi.

We arrived at the coffee shop and our conversation waned in favor of introductions. Surprise lit my face. Gunther, Erd, Oluo, Erwin, and a very pregnant Hange were all sitting around a few tables pushed close together. Erwin and Hange were next to each other, holding hands. Oluo was giving Levi that look of envy. He must still like Petra, even in this life.

“Everyone, this is Eren Jeager.” Petra introduced and I smiled and greeted them. Why were they all here? I didn’t understand. I suddenly felt as if maybe I shouldn’t have come back to Troust.

But everyone here seemed less war-hardened, except Erwin. No, he was definitely still in the military if his straight posture and toned body say anything. He still has his arm. That’s nice.

We chat, order coffee, and I feel horrible nostalgia. Why couldn’t we have had this when they knew me? But I know that it didn’t matter thinking about it. They were here now. Besides, if the world hadn’t been shit, the chances that I’d have met any of them—especially Levi—would have been slim to none.

No, best to enjoy being here with them. And they were all still as I remembered them, just… softer.

“So, Eren, you don’t look like your fresh from high school… Did you join the military perhaps?” Erwin asked his blue eyes focused on me in an all too familiar way. I almost saluted, but managed to resist. I’m not even sure they used the same salute anywhere anymore. Maybe here. In this country’s military, as the walls had been here.

“Something like that,” I half-lied. I couldn’t exactly tell them that I’d been a member of the Survey Corp during the fight for humanity nearly one thousand years ago. No, that wouldn’t go over too well, I’m sure.

He raised an eyebrow at my half-answer, willing an explanation.

“I… was adopted by a military family and raised in a boot-camp setting.” I said, thinking briefly of the 104th squad, of all the silly things that we got up to, a smile breezing over my face. It’d been a while since I’d allowed myself to think about these things.

“Seem like nice people.” Petra looked pleased, smiling in response to my own. Levi also had a softer look to his face, maybe more than relief than pleasure.

“Yeah… they were really nice.” My mind flickered finally to the days before that day that bathed my hand in the blood of the smiling strawberry blonde girl who looked so nice next to Levi. Again jealousy stung my heart. I’d never look that nice with Levi. Not with my adult body. No. It’s best if he’s with her. He’s not the same person that I knew.

The conversation tumbled from there—thankfully pulling my mind from blood and violence. Apparently, Erwin and Hange were getting married this month—it’d taken Erwin a long time to convince Hange to have a proper ceremony. I gave them my congratulations. I hadn’t been expecting that. I left feeling like I had a second chance. Maybe this time, I could do something right.

But I knew I’d never have another chance to tell Levi. No, I’d lost that chance. I only realized afterwards that I’d never told him. Never told him how much I loved him. I would never get to, and I wondered if I would be able to stop loving him now, after a thousand years of missing. If the wounds that my titan powers couldn’t heal would mend… maybe… maybe I could heal.

I had them back. The family I’d killed. I could be with them this time. Finally.

My chest squeezed. If only I could have my mother… Mikasa and Armin back. If I could have them back, everything would be complete.

“Hey! We’ll see you at school, alright?” Petra said with an airy laugh that was so carefree it made me feel like maybe all the stuff in my past was just a miserable dream. Maybe I’d finally waken up after all these years. I might’ve allowed myself to believe it too, was it not for the scar on my hand and the coiling emotions in my stomach.

I smiled and said with a chuckle, “Yeah.”

I escaped. Now all I had to do was become a citizen and actually register for the school before it was too late. I felt the stirrings of determination bubble in my stomach. And though I’d forgotten it, it felt familiar. My stride was more confident. I could do this. There was no doubt in my mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh god, I went through and realized I put "Edwin" instead of "Erwin".... I think I fixed it... but if not, tell me. D: I'm so embarrassed.


End file.
